Studio Activity

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 312, 24 March 1928, Page 23

Studio Activity

New Features Coming In spite of the fact that many acres of stage space icere recently added to the Culver City studios of Metro-Goldwryn-Mayer, practically every inch of the huge producing plant is at present fully occupied, and a neio record in studio activity has been set. Pictures now in production include “The Big City,” 'starring Lon Chaney, directed by Tod Browning; Tim McCoy’s “Riders of the Lark,” directed by Nick Grinde; Karl Dane and George K. Arthur, co-starring in “Monkey, Business,” under the direction of Ed. Sedgwick; “Under the Black Eagle.” featuring Flash, the new MetroGold wyn-Mayer dog star, is now practically completed. "Working principally on outdoor locations is William Haines, who is making “The Smart Set,” a story of international polo, under tl e direction of Jack Conway. The finishing touches are being put on “Bringing Up Father,” the comedy based on the George McManus cartoons of the same name, and co-starring Polly Moran and Marie Dressier; “The Divine Woman,” Greta Garbo’s starring vehicle; “The Patsy,” starring Marion Davies, ana. which King Vidor is handling. Two particularly pretentious production® are also in work, these being “Rose Marie,” which Edmund Goulding ia making with Lucien Hubbard as producer, and John Gilbert’s “The Cossacks.” The last-named is based on Count Leo Tolstoy’s famous work, and has Renee Adoree, Ernest Torrence, and Mary Alden in important supporting roles. - One Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer unit is working “away from its home base,*' and this is the party, under the leadership of Robert Flaherty, whicn is making “Southern Skies” in Tahiti. Monte Blue has the leading male role in this production.